Did you know that Telemedicine was originally conceived as a way to reach patients in remote
areas that have few doctors?
But now it attracts people everywhere, as the convenience of this technology has become
a big draw.
Hi viewers and welcome back to another bestie video!
The medical world is constantly changing.
Technology now plays a big role.
As doctors regularly look for better ways to treat people, it has brought numerous advances
to the medical field.
One of the biggest is Telemedicine, which has shown great promise.
And in today’s video, we will tell you everything you wanted to know about telemedicine.
From what it is to its pros, cons and more, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
So, what exactly is telemedicine?
Ok for starters, Telemedicine is the exchange of medical information from one site to another
through electronic communications.
This is done for the purpose of improving a person’s health.
You must be aware how difficult it is to get an appointment with doctors and specialists.
The waiting list can be long and even getting a referral doesn’t guarantee a quick appointment.
Telemedicine can help bring you and the doctor together more efficiently.
Also known as "video visits," "online doctor visits," and "doctors on demand," these can
be accessed via smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Telemedicine involves the diagnosis and treatment of patients through telecommunications.
It can also include other types of technology-enabled care, such as promoting health and wellness,
remote patient monitoring, provider-to-provider remote communication, and mobile health.
Telemedicine uses video to connect you to health care providers, meaning you don't have
to travel to get the care you need.
Just like with any face-to-face appointment, you can have a family member, care provider,
or friend accompany you if you wish.
What have you consulted your doctor about using telemedicine?
Tell us quickly down below in the comments section!
Moving on, let’s talk about the types of telemedicine:
There are essentially two types of telemedicine.
The first involves real-time audiovisual encounters, also known as "synchronous telemedicine."
The patient can be on a laptop, tablet, desktop or even on a smartphone with a camera.
Or the real-time audiovisual encounter can take place in a physician's office.
This may be required by the payer or state regulation.
Also, this arrangement allows for more robust care.
When the patient comes to an office, an assistant—known as a "telepresenter"—can help with a hands-on
physical exam and measuring blood pressure, placing a stethoscope, and use of other medical
devices.
The second type of telemedicine is known as asynchronous, or "store-it-forward" visits.
In this case, encounters are not in real time and function like emails, where the response
comes sometime after sending.
Like emails, this can be more useful for busy patients and clinicians than a real-time session.
In addition to text, asynchronous telemedicine may include lab results, images, videos, and
medical records.
It is commonly used in such specialties as dermatology, pathology, and radiology.
With that out of the way, here are a few advantages:
Better patient engagement: To give the patient the most bang for their buck, hospitals and
health systems have started to emphasize new ways of interacting with their patients to
engage them in self-care.
Treating patients proactively requires clinicians to teach patients how to care for themselves
between clinical visits.
With an increase in chronic health conditions, using telemedicine for remote monitoring is
just one way that medical providers can improve outcomes while still cutting costs.
Today, it is also being used to report patient metrics from the comfort of the patient’s
own home, while remote teams act as coach and counselor as they engage patients in their
own journey toward health.
Reduced exposure to pathogens: Hours-long waits in waiting rooms with other patients
can contribute to the spread of COVID-19, the flu, and other viruses.
Telemedicine keeps patients at home, avoiding exposure to viruses and germs.
This helps protect medical professionals as well.
Better Assessment: Telemedicine can give some specialty practitioners an advantage because
they can see you in your home environment.
For example, allergists may be able to identify clues in your surroundings that cause allergies.
Neurologists, physical and occupational therapists can observe you and assess your ability to
navigate and take care of yourself in your home.
Telemedicine is also a good way to get mental health assessment and counseling.
Comfort and Convenience: With telemedicine, you don’t have to drive to the doctor’s
office or sit in a waiting room when you’re sick.
You can see your doctor from the comfort of your own home.
Virtual visits can be easier to fit into your busy schedule.
Eliminate child or elder care issues: Many of us have the responsibility for caring for
children or older adults.
Finding alternative care so that you can see the doctor can be difficult and expensive.
Bringing them along can be stressful.
Fortunately, telemedicine solves this challenge by allowing you to see your doctor while upholding
your family responsibilities.
No need to take time off of work: Video visits largely remove the need to take time off.
You can simply schedule your visit during a break, before or after work.
You can be anywhere that offers sufficient privacy.
You can comply with your doctor’s follow-up instructions and maintain your health without
wasting your precious paid time off.
When you see your doctor on your mobile device or computer, you can save money on transportation.
Even better, you don’t waste time traveling or risk running into traffic that makes you
late for your appointment, or worse, late getting back to work.
Access to Specialists: Some patients who need a specialist must invest a lot of time for
each visit.
Telemedicine makes it possible for you and your primary care physician to leverage the
expertise of specialists who are not nearby.
When it comes to serious health issues, you want to consult with the best, not the closest.
Expedited transmission of MRIs or X-rays for a second opinion: Perhaps you're buried under
a business proposal deadline and are unable to get a second opinion about your thyroid
condition.
E-mailing an X-ray of the inflamed area to a specialist for a second opinion just might
be your saving grace.
One of the beauties of telemedicine is that it can improve communication between patients
and their medical practitioners.
Cost-efficiency: An increasing number of doctors are charging less for a telemedicine consultation
than they would for an in-person visit.
Telemedicine can also reduce travel expenses.
Rural families who would normally travel hours can access health services from the comfort
of their couch.
Physicians Reach More Patients: A geographical hindrance with in-office visits is that doctors
can’t reach as many patients within their specialty.
For example, a geriatric practice won’t reach as many patients in a younger populated
area.
Pediatricians won’t reach as many patients in a city that’s mostly older.
But telemedicine allows providers to connect with their target demographic from anywhere.
This means healthcare providers can increase their patient volume, ensuring they serve
enough people to keep themselves in business.
While all that may sound great, there are still a few downsides of Telemedicine:
Requires Smart Devices: Not only do both the patient and physician need an internet connection,
but they need devices that can support these services.
A healthcare practice will likely have access to these devices.
We all know people within our social circle who still prefer a flip phone.
Believe it or not, 19% of Americans still don’t own a smartphone.
That means that unless a patient can afford a device or borrow one, they simply won’t
have access to telemedicine.
One of the major security concerns that comes with smartphones is that they can be hacked.
Figure out whether your phone has been hacked or not by watching “6 Signs That Your Phone
Has Been Hacked”
Now, back to Telemedicine and Everything You Wanted To Know
Limited Physical Examination: Clinicians can only do so much when they aren’t physically
with the patient.
They can only assess what they see and what the patient tells them.
Doctors may need equipment to assess a patient’s condition.
This doesn’t benefit those who have difficulty getting to a hospital.
But telemedicine can save them the trip in the case that they don’t need additional
assessment.
In some cases there are options for patients to visit a clinic to have an assessment from
a nurse, then visit with a specialist virtually.
Electronic glitches: Technology is only as reliable as the electrical current that keeps
it running.
Inclement weather and other annoyances can cause a power outage or disrupt an internet
connection, complicating online consultations.
You should keep that in mind prior to scheduling online visits.
Patient Data Security: Conducting appointments online adds a security risk to patient information.
Online data is hackable.
If a cyber-criminal gets into a patient’s account, they might have access to all of
the user’s medical records.
Just like they would for in-visit appointments, clinicians need to consider ways to keep all
health information safe and secure.
While telemedicine can help you stay on top of your health, you also need to look out
for warning signs your body is giving when it’s in bad shape.
Learn about these signs by watching :
Warning Signs Of A Blood Clot That Can’t Be Ignored
Or
6 Early Warning Signs Of Liver Damage
So go ahead and watch one or both of these videos for maximum benefits.
Do you still prefer going to the doctor or using telemedicine?
Let us know in the comments section below!